The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-08-04
SOME FAMOUS CPAIs.
hstory OF an Elegant Set or Jewelr,
owned by Mrs Leland Stanford.

Jewels belonging to American women
mere are few which have any special
history attached to them, and very few
are helr-looms. The few families who
nave heir-loOms of any value in this
country are generally people too poor
IN other ways to be able to make a dis
Piay of them. But rhere are vet few
wMch have histories worth telling, and
among them is set of opals belonging
10 Airs. Leland Stanford, which she
bought of Bellezza. Il Genoese jeweler,
who was in Philadelphia at the Gen.
ecaial Exhibition. These Jewels were
not publicly displayed. as Bellezza had
superstition about them and would
never put them in any case with other
Jewels on account of their former
history.
4hey consisted Of pin and pair of
earrings of opals set round with bril-
hants. The opal in the pin is over an
inch long and about two-thirds of an
inch across, being oblong in form.
Those in the earrings were of the same
shape, about twO-thirls the size of that
in the breach. They all had exactly the
same milky blue luster, and down in
the heart of each burned fiery red
spot with such 4 baleful, malevolent
light that it actually frightened the be-
holder. These stones at an ordinary
distance gave the usual lus.er of these
Jewels. and it was only when looked at
closely that they had that popularity.
They were arranged so that they could
be worn as three pendants on 4 chain
or band of velvet as we'll as in their
ordinary form. The brilliants around
them were about the size of small peas
on the breach and large pinheads on
the earrings.
They were shown Mrs. Stanford more
as curiosities than any thing else, but
she was instantly struck with their
beauty and popularity and bought
them. paying $4,000 for them, and
laughing at the thought of any super
stition regarding opals. although she
heard the story of these.
The last owner before Mrs. Stanford
Of these opals was the ex-Empress
Eugenia. They had been sent to her
as present by noble Spanish family
whom she had greatly aided in time of
their misfOrtunes. They had been
obliged to pawn these jewels with many
others which the Empress generosity
had enabled them to save, and she re-
ceiVed them, but never liked to wear
them, and it is said she never did wear
them but once. During the time that
these jewels were in the family of this
Spanish nobleman every misfortune
that could follow one seemed to have
pursued them. until they were almost
reduced to beggary and several of their
family had died.
The story is that the Spanish noble
man bought them of widowed friend,
whose bereavement had been the result
of train of miseries almost unhcard Of
In her youth this lady had been lady
of honor to the Empress of Austria,
and when she left that court to be mar
ried these jewels were given to her by
the Empress, who had just bought
them of the last member of noble old
Hungarian family who was reduced to
this extremity. The jewels had been
a bridal gift from her husband and she
had kept them until hunger and desti-
tuition forced her to sell them. 1t was
through Baron Janus Won Xanthus that
the Empress of Austria heard of the
sad case and finally bought the Jewels.
Where they came from before this dc
pot know.
When the eX-Empress had to fly from
Paris these jewels, with few others,
were hurriedly gathered by her faith.
full friends and attendants, and | saw
and admired them at Chiselhurst,
where, owing to some certain circum-
stances, l passed two days and a night
bit never expected TO see them again.
Bellezza. the jeweler, is an Italian
and enjoys a reputation very enviable
among jewellers of honesty, and he had
often had dealings with the Empress
while in the zenith of her power, and
after her sorrow she turned to him as
medium to dispose of her jewelry in
quiet manner, which could not easily
have been done either in London OF
Paris. So Mile. de Larminat and the
Countess Clery made several visits to
Bellezza, taking him the jewels for sale.
and he managed it with caution and
usually good results. But no one would
buy this set of jewels, and so they were
brought here in hopes OF selling them
to some one who had no superstition on
The subject, and Mrs. Stanford bought
them.
At the same ume as the purchase OF
this set of Jewels Mrs. Stanford bought
Of the same jewelera magnificent neck
lace of diamonds and rubies. for which |
she paid nearly SAC, 900, and pin and |
made of pink pearls, set with |
brilliants, representing moss rosebuds. |
She gave about $4,000 for this set,
which was intended for a present tc |
some relative.
Mrs. Stanford has many other Jewels,
but none finer. In the necklace are
,ne hundred and thirty-fve stones. OF
which fOrty-fOur are rubies.-OliUe
Harper, in N. y NaI and Express.
Trna Mnfhar 4f Lar4a@